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Bree-land
Breeland was a land in Eriador, west of the Shire, centered around Bree-hill and the town of Bree. It was inhabited by Gwathuirim people known as Bree-folk, as well as by Hobbits, and prospered off of the traffic in the intersection of the Great East Road and the North Road. Geography Breeland was cented around Bree-hill and nestled into the Breeland forestlands known as Chetwood, and contained four main settlements: * Bree was on the south-western side of Bree-hill, the major township of the area with the famous Prancing Pony inn. * Staddle was populated primarily by hobbits who made a living from light agriculture, of pipeweed, which the hobbits were especially fond of smoking. Staddle was on the south-eastern side of Breehill, sitting south of Combe and Archet. It was the only of the villages (other than Bree itself) visible from the East Road. * Combe was populated primarily by Men, with some hobbits, all of whom made a living from agriculture. Combe was situated on the borders of the Chetwood and on the edge of Breehill, between the villages of Archet and Staddle. * Archet was the settlement furthest north. Located in the Chetwood, it was populated primarily by Men. History The origins of its inhabitants are obscure, but apparently they were descended from the Gwathuirim, the indiginous people of Eriador and Enedhwaith, and were therefore akin to the Dunlendings. The Breefolk moved far to the North during the Dark Years, seeking shelter around Bree-hill, and so managed to survive through the violent history of Middle-earth until they were absorbed into Arnor. With the construction of the North road connecting Arnor with Gondor, they prospered off of the traffic across both that road and the Great East Road, which intersected along Breeland. It was also the only place of Middle-earth where Men lived with Hobbits on a daily basis: the population of the Bree-land had become a mix of Men and Hobbits, who had migrated away from Angmar's threat around TA 1300. The ratio varied between each of the four townships of the Bree-land. In any case, they were still thriving in Bree long after Arnor had collapsed and the memory of fallen kings faded into the grass. The now independent land enjoyed the (unknowing) protection of the Rangers of the North. After the War of the Ring, Bree-land became part of the Reunited Kingdom. In TA 2940, Thorin passed by Bree on his way back from Dunland where he looked in vain for his father Thrain. There he encountered Gandalf the Wizard who learned of a plot to assasinate Thorin, which roused his suspicion of rising darkness. This meeting hatched the Quest of Erebor which was begun the next year. In TA 3001, Frodo Baggins and his Hobbit companions likewise passed through Bree, where they met Strider and narrowly evaded a Nazgul attack on the town. They left the next day into Chetwood and out to Midgewater Marshes, heading towards the Weather-hills. The town was mildly harassed during the War of the Ring, and later became part of the Reunited Kingdom. Category:Locations Category:The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring locations Category:The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey locations